


Give and Take

by Darkicedragon



Category: Noblesse (Manhwa)
Genre: M/M, bartender and bouncer au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:08:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22486846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkicedragon/pseuds/Darkicedragon
Summary: Kentas starts a new job as a bouncer, but there's something about the bartender...
Relationships: Kentas/M-21 (Noblesse)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much to madam aZure for all the help brainstorming this. :D

Kentas sighed, his breath misting in front of his face. It was a mild winter night - for him, anyway. A line of potential patrons were in front of him, and they were bundled up in multiple layers; some shivered as they waited, rubbing their arms or bouncing on their toes.  
  
He eyed the pair in front of him and waved them in. A bit of cigarette smoke but no tang of drugs or weapons.  
  
The next person though...  
  
Kentas stuck his arm out, barring his entrance. The man was a head shorter than him, blond hair clipped short, showing off the array of piercings along his ears and brow.  
  
"Hey! What gives?"  
  
"No weapons," Kentas said, frowning.  
  
The man's eyes widened for a second, before scowling and crossing his arms. "It's just a pocket knife. What, you robbing me before I step into your joint?"  
  
Kentas held his hand out. "You can get it back when you leave."  
  
"An' leave me all defenseless in there? What if I get attacked?"  
  
Kentas had a feeling the man was the one who usually started the fight, bolstered by having a weapon with him. "That's why I'm here." There weren't many that would be able to take on a werewolf by themselves.  
  
The man squinted at him suspiciously. "And if I don't give it?"  
  
"Then you don't get in." It was that simple.  
  
A muscle in the man's cheek clenched and he stood there for a second before he reached into his jacket and slapped the pocket knife into Kentas' hand. "Don't lose it or you'll regret it."  
  
Kentas' eyebrow rose, seeing a switchblade not a pocket knife, but handed the man a laminated number, attaching its twin to the knife. "We won't lose it - you'll get it back when you return the number."  
  
"Feh." The man shoved the number into his pocket and stomped in.  
  
Kentas turned back to the people next in line, who stepped up to be inspected with a quick placating smile.  
  
For his first night on the job, it had been quiet and maybe it would continue like that.  
  
The night was still young though.  


* * *

  
The line had dwindled to nothing, the people who wanted to be there already inside. Kentas had only needed to stop a handful of people going in when they refused to hand over their weapons or drugs - they'd stopped trying when he threw them clear over the heads of the other potential patrons.  
  
The line went smoother after that happened.  
  
Which meant the next part of his job was up, now that the patrons were filling themselves with alcohol.  
  
Kentas settled himself next to the door, scanning the floor.  
  
The room was abuzz with conversations and laughter, and that was fine. Kentas spotted the man who had brought the switchblade tucked away in the corner of the room, a few glasses already clustered around him. He didn't seem to be eyeing anyone, but Kentas made sure to remember where the man was to check on him later.  
  
The purple long-haired bartender wasn't behind the bar anymore, replaced with a man with short silver hair.  
  
Hn. Even from across the room, Kentas could see the scar that slashed down the man's lip. Someone who'd been in a rough fight and survived. Kentas couldn't tell if the man was a werewolf, not across a filled room but even with werewolf healing, attacks to the head were dangerous. If the man wasn't a werewolf and had survived an attack to the head? He was strong.  
  
It was enough to make Kentas want to ask about it - but he could do that later. He had a job to do first.  


* * *

  
"Awww, why don't you tell me about yourself?"  
  
Across the dull roar of the patrons chatting amongst themselves, Kentas heard the question across the room.  
  
It was from a lady sitting at the bar, but she was alone. That was weird - who was she talking to? Or was she drunk?  
  
"Heeey, bartender, are you listening to me?"  
  
Ah.  
  
The silver-haired man was standing at the other side of the bar from her, cleaning glasses.  
  
Kentas' hearing was good, but even then, he was sure the bartender should have been able to hear her. Was he ignoring her?  
  
While Kentas watched, the bartender reached for a couple of bottles and mixed a drink, handing it to someone to his right, taking him even further away from the woman.  
  
Kentas hadn't heard the order, so the bartender was definitely ignoring her.  
  
Well... The bartender was doing his job. This was the first time Kentas had worked at a bar or been in one for any length of time, so maybe that was all bartenders were meant to do?  
  
The woman turned away and that seemed to be the end of it.  
  
Kentas kept an eye on the bar as he looked out around the rest of the floor - the bartender steered clear of the woman, only hovering around her area again once she left.  
  
Hm.  
  
Even after the woman had left, Kentas' gaze drifted back to the bartender every so often, watching him. He moved smoothly and confidently as he mixed the drinks, making Kentas wonder what he looked like when he fought.  
  
Everything the silver-haired bartender did caught Kentas' interest. He would just have to be patient and wait until he could talked with him.  


* * *

  
Kentas breathed out a deep sigh, the ice cold prickling the inside of his lungs. It was humid inside the bar and dull roar of the patrons was getting louder as they fought to be heard over each other. He kept the door propped open, in case something happened while he grabbed some fresh air.  
  
It wasn't claustrophobic in there, but it was a mass of bodies pressed into a small space Kentas wasn't used to.  
  
He looked over when he heard the door open and blinked, seeing the silver-haired bartender leave. The bartender carried with him the faint scent of cigarette smoke - it couldn't have come from inside the bar, but it wasn't strong enough to have come from the man either.  
  
"Hey."  
  
The man glanced at him, his lips pursing for a second. "Hey." The scar was deep enough that the skin hadn't been able to knit back fully, leaving a little valley in his skin, the edges jagged. Just what had he been hit with?  
  
"I'm Kentas," he said, dipping his head.  
  
The man was silent for a few seconds. "Min-gyu."  
  
Kentas beamed.  
  
Min-gyu turned away, patting himself down. "...Shit."  
  
Huh? "What's wrong?" Though with the hints, there seemed to be one obvious answer. "Do you need a light?"  
  
"That's what I'm avoiding," Min-gyu muttered, clicking his tongue. Ah, that explained why the smell was faint. "I'd rather a lollipop or a sweet," he said with a smirk.  
  
Kentas dug into a pocket and pulled out a few brightly coloured wrapped sweets, offering them to Min-gyu.  
  
Min-gyu's eyes widened for a second. "Huh, thanks." He took a lollipop and after unwrapping it, shoved it in his mouth with a sigh. "You're trying to quit too?"  
  
Kentas shook his head. "I've got a bunch of siblings and cousins and they like them." It was easier to have a stash ready to hand out than waiting to buy them again after he'd run out.  
  
Min-gyu smirked, the lollipop handle flicking to the other side of his mouth. "And it keeps them quiet."  
  
"For a little while," Kentas said with a soft chuckle. Their faces lit up at the sight of the sweets and that was the important part.  
  
He furrowed his brow, hearing raised sharp voices inside.  
  
"You'll have a boring job here," Min-gyu said. "They don't get that rowdy too often."  
  
"But often enough," Kentas said, waving at him as he slipped back inside.  
  
Even with the buzz it was easy to see where the commotion was coming from, lights starting to dance around the pair as their voices rose even more. At this rate they were going to transform - it wasn't that much of a problem here since it was where supernaturals gathered, but once other forms were revealed in a fight, it usually ended in bloodshed.  
  
"Oi," Kentas said, wading through, "is there a problem?"  
  
"Yeah, there is!" the bigger man snapped, whirling on him. "He-" The man faltered, his eyes going wide as he tilted his head to stare up at Kentas.  
  
"I spilled some of his drink when I bumped his elbow," the other man explained, "but he won't accept it was an accident."  
  
The bigger man rounded on the other again, snapping, "I lost half my drink!"  
  
Kentas eyed at glass in the man's hand - there had been two gulps drank from it at best. "And you want to lose the rest of your drink because of it?" From either starting a fight or getting thrown out.  
  
The bigger man worked his mouth, glaring for a second before wilting. "Look where you're going next time," the man grumbled before slinking off, clutching his drink protectively.  
  
"Thanks," the other man said with a relieved smile.  
  
Kentas watched both of them as they walked off, but they seemed content to stay away from each other and not trying to continue the argument.  
  
Good.  
  
When Kentas looked across, Min-gyu was back behind the bar again. Damn. He'd have to talk to him later.


	2. Part 2

Kentas took in one last lungful of cold air before going back inside. His ears still rang in the silence after the noise of the previous hours, but he definitely preferred the silence over the noise and press of people.   
  
Takeo was stacking the chairs on tables and Kentas moved to help him. He was given a quick smile of appreciation as they worked together.   
  
"How was your first night?" Takeo asked. Kentas could smell bird about him, but hadn't pinned down exactly what yet.   
  
Kentas was quiet as he thought it over. "Not as hectic as I thought it would be." He'd interrupted a few arguments, but none had come to blows; it was a little disappointing, but if they'd backed down so easily, it wouldn't have been a fun fight anyway.   
  
"That's because of you," Takeo said. "The usual troublemakers kept their heads down and I don't think the others even made it in."   
  
Huh? "I thought it was normally like this?" Kentas said, glancing at Min-gyu, who was wiping down the bar.   
  
"Ah," Takeo said, chuckling. "Min-gyu's definition of 'quiet' is different from most."   
  
Really. So Min-gyu was used to fights. Interesting.   
  
They cleaned the bar in relative silence, the radio softly filling the air with christmas songs.   
  
When Kentas reached the bar, he paused, seeing a filled shot glass sitting on a coaster. There were no lip marks on the rim; it looked like it had just been made. The bar had been empty the last time he'd looked, he was sure of it. He glanced at Min-gyu, who nodded at him.   
  
"For earlier," Min-gyu said.   
  
Kentas looked back at the glass. Earlier? The only time they'd been able to talk was... Ah. "I don't think a drink is equal to a lollipop..." This was too much.   
  
"I don't like owing anyone," Min-gyu said, putting glasses away.   
  
"Then a snack next time," Kentas said. That was more equal. "But...thanks." He downed the drink, the warmth spreading down his throat; it wasn't as if they could return the drink to the bottle now.   
  
"Mrrrr, it's good," Kentas said, setting the glass down. Stronger than what he'd tried before, and the alcohol taste was better hidden.   
  
Min-gyu shrugged, taking the glass and washing it.   
  
All right, that seemed to be the end of the conversation. Kentas turned back to sweeping the floor, rumbling in his chest at the warm feeling there.   
  
The door slammed open and Kentas snapped his head towards it, already striding over.   
  
It was a thin man with short black hair, though he had a white stripe running through the front. He also had triangular ears on display on top of his head, and Kentas wouldn't be surprised if he saw a twin tipped tail behind him. Kentas could smell the cat from him: a nekomata.   
  
"We're closed," Kentas said, and the man stared up at him with wide eyes. His ears didn't flatten though, which was surprising.   
  
"Well yeah," the man said, "that's why I came!" Kentas barely had time to hear the words before the man continued. "So you're the new guy, huh?" He knew? The man peered around Kentas, waving. "Help me out here! Or else I'm gonna get thrown out."   
  
"It'll be quieter again," Min-gyu said with a snort.   
  
"Hey!" the man yowled, though his ears still stayed upright. His actions hadn't been aggressive so far, and he acted familiar towards the others.   
  
"It's all right, Kentas," Takeo said, "Tao works here."  
  
"Used to," Min-gyu corrected.   
  
"I still do!" Tao said, squeezing past Kentas. He shucked off his jacket, tossing it over a chair leg. He rubbed his hands for a second and then picked up a dustpan. "Just 'cause I'm not on site anymore doesn't mean I don't work here!"   
  
"And why aren't you here anymore?" Min-gyu said, shaking his head. Kentas could see his smirk, revealing some teeth.   
  
"Hey, I was _totally_ making Boss more money that way!" Tao said, and there was the tell-tale tail flick behind him. "It was a great idea!"   
  
While they continued their back and forth, Kentas checked if anyone else was approaching and then closed the door.   
  
"I thought you would be sleeping by now," Takeo said, sweeping the dirt into Tao's ready dustpan.   
  
"Uuurgh, why do you think I started working this shift in the first place?" Tao said, his tail curling at the tip. "I don't need to sleep _that_ much. I'm wide awake now, so I may as well see you all than staring at numbers again. It's all done for this month anyway."   
  
"We're halfway through the month."   
  
"And I've finished what we'd done so far!"   
  
Smiling, Kentas listened to the light bickering as he continued cleaning.   
  


* * *

  
Kentas looked up when he heard the door open, but by the time he did it was already shut again.   
  
...Hn. No-one had entered, but he'd heard someone walking past behind him.   
  
Looking over, he saw Takeo and Tao chatting as they pulled on their coats. Min-gyu was nowhere to be seen.   
  
Ah.   
  
"Hm?" Tao said. "What's up?"   
  
Kentas shook his head. "Nothing. I wanted to talk to Min-gyu after we were finished." There had been enough odd jobs to do elsewhere he hadn't been able to say much to Min-gyu.   
  
"Oooh." Tao tilted a sympathetic grin at him and shared a look with Takeo. "That'll be difficult."   
  
It would?  
  
Takeo nodded slowly. "Min-gyu doesn't really socialise and chat."   
  
"During _or_ after work," Tao said with a huff, crossing his arms. "He's been like that the entire time I've known him. Him talking to me when I came in was him being chatty - took me _months_ to get him to that point!"   
  
Oh. Well. "That's good to know." At least now he wouldn't be too disappointed if Min-gyu didn't talk much to everyone else as well.   
  


* * *

  
Kentas perked up when he saw Min-gyu enter the bar. Who was completely drenched and scowling, shaking excess water off him. The rain behind him thundered down, crashing against the door even after Min-gyu closed it.   
  
"You didn't get caught in that?" Min-gyu grumbled, running a hand through his slick hair and grimacing.   
  
"I ran when it started," Kentas said.   
  
Min-gyu squinted at him. "You outran the rain."   
  
"Not completely," Kentas said, shaking his head. "I've dried off since I arrived."  
  
Min-gyu kept studying him. "You got so hot from the run the rain dried off you."  
  
Kentas laughed. He could run fast, but he hadn't done it for so long that water evaporated off of him. "Frankenstein brought out towels."   
  
"Of course he did," Min-gyu muttered, sighing. "Right. Better get them before I get soaked through."  
  
Min-gyu squelched past him and Kentas listened to the rain drumming on the windows. It didn't seem like it was going to end any time soon.   
  


* * *

  
"Here," Min-gyu said, lobbing a-  
  
Kentas blinked, catching it reflexively as he tried to figure out what Min-gyu had thrown at him. It was a small black cylinder covered by a thin waterproof fabric. "Why didn't you use it?" If Min-gyu had an umbrella, how had he gotten wet?   
  
"It's not mine," Min-gyu said, leaning on the door frame, protected from the downpour. "People leave umbrellas in case it starts raining after we come in. Just bring it back."   
  
"I can handle a little rain," Kentas said, still holding the umbrella. It was water. Nothing dangerous.   
  
Min-gyu rolled his eyes. "You're going to be standing in it for hours and you can't run to keep yourself warm."   
  
...Hn. Kentas looked at the umbrella again and then slid the protective sleeve off, shoving it into his trouser pocket. "All right. Thanks."   
  
"Yeah, yeah," Min-gyu said, disappearing back inside before Kentas could say anything else.   
  
The umbrella unfurled in a smooth movement and Kentas rested the pole against his shoulder, some people approaching the front door already.   
  


* * *

  
Kentas tilted his head up, sniffing as he furrowed his brow.   
  
"What," Min-gyu said, putting a glass away, "did you smell the expensive stuff?"  
  
"No," Kentas said, still sniffing. "I thought I smelled a werewolf." It was faint though, like they'd passed hours before. That didn't make sense - Kentas would have known if a werewolf had went in through the front door. Maybe someone in the kitchen? Or making deliveries? But then their scent shouldn't have gotten into the bar.   
  
"And you'd fight if you met them?"   
  
Kentas blinked at him. "Hn. We don't _always_ fight when we meet another werewolf," he said, one side of his mouth curling up. "It's nice seeing how you match up with another," he added, his gaze drifting. It had been a while since he'd seen another werewolf he wasn't related to or already knew how strong they were.   
  
"What if the other werewolf doesn't want to fight."  
  
Kentas tilted his head, furrowing his brow again. That didn't tend to happen often from his experience. "Then we don't. This isn't a good place for a spar anyway." It was too enclosed and had too many people around.  
  
Min-gyu studied him for a few seconds before sighing. "This place is too quiet for you."  
  
"I don't _have_ to fight," Kentas said. "I could have joined a fighting ring if that's all I wanted to do." The constant fighting had seemed like fun when he was younger, but the match-ups had been unsatisfying and he hadn't liked the baying audience.  
  
A spar was a measure for the two opponents, not for entertaining others.   
  
Kentas shrugged. "This place isn't that quiet." Not after enough alcohol had been sold. He was starting to pick out which regulars he needed to keep an eye on though and they were learning to not start anything either.   
  
Min-gyu huffed, his fingers twirling a toothpick. "It's been getting quieter since you arrived."   
  
Kentas studied him, but Min-gyu was focused on the toothpick. Was he getting cravings again? "You sound like you missed the fights."   
  
"Tch." Min-gyu crossed his arms, the toothpick broken. "It broke up the monotony so I'm not listening to drunk people moan about their problems or trying to talk to me all the time."   
  
"Well, it's my job to make yours as boring as possible," Kentas said with a chuckle. But...Min-gyu didn't seem to mind talking with him? Or maybe the difference was he wasn't talking to Min-gyu drunk.   
  
Min-gyu grimaced. "Fine. It's better than cleaning up smashed glass afterwards."   
  
Kentas chuckled at that. "Yeah, as much fun as a fight can be, the clean up afterwards can take twice as long." Which was all the more reason to not fight indoors.   
  
Min-gyu snorted, throwing the toothpick in the bin.  
  
"Hey," Takeo said, poking his head in from the back, "has the rubbish been taken out here?"   
  
"Just getting it," Min-gyu said, picking up the bin bag and walking with Takeo.   
  
Kentas watched them leave, wistfully imagining what a spar with Min-gyu would feel like before turning back to finish off cleaning.   
  


* * *

  
Min-gyu stomped the snow as he paced back and forth near the bar entrance, his hands jammed in his pockets. Kentas could hear the crunch of whatever hard sweet Min-gyu was chewing into oblivion.   
  
"You don't feel the cold as much then either," Min-gyu said, looking Kentas up and down.   
  
"I have a jacket," Kentas said. Min-gyu only had a shirt and he'd pulled down his sleeves.   
  
Min-gyu rolled his eyes. "You're not even tense or shivering, and your jacket's open."   
  
That was true. "You want to to wear it until you go back inside?" He started to shrug off his jacket.   
  
Min-gyu stared at him.   
  
...What? "I'm not that cold and you need it more than me."  
  
"You're weird," Min-gyu said, shaking his head.   
  
For offering his jacket? Why was that weird?  
  
"I'm not outside for _that_ long," Min-gyu said, heading towards the door.  
  
That was also true. Kentas stayed outside for a few more minutes, savouring the cold before going back inside.   


* * *

  
"How are you faring after your first week?" Frankenstein asked, peering at Kentas over his glasses as Kentas waited for the patrons to arrive.   
  
"It's been going well," Kentas said. "I haven't had to throw anyone out yet." It was still a little disappointing, but there didn't seem to be a lot of fighters in the area.   
  
Frankenstein beamed at him. "Good. You've already improved the bar since you've joined us."   
  
How often had they needed to do that before he'd been employed here?   
  
"And are you getting on well with your co-workers?"   
  
Kentas nodded. "There's been no problems." As far as he could tell, anyway.   
  
"Aaah, it's nice to hear everyone's getting along! Keep up the good work," Frankenstein said as he entered the bar.   
  
Hn. Kentas had heard the bar's owner was scary but from the little he'd seen of him so far, Frankenstein seemed harmless.   
  


* * *

  
Kentas paused when he entered the bathroom, seeing Min-gyu there. He was slapping some cologne on but... Kentas sniffed the air. It didn't smell of anything? Maybe it smelled of something to another race - smelling nothing was better than smelling too much, especially when the cologne was so strong it gave Kentas a headache.   
  
Min-gyu eyed him, capping the cologne.   
  
"That has almost no scent," Kentas noted. Min-gyu would know that, but just to make it clear why he'd been sniffing the air.   
  
Min-gyu shrugged. "It does what it needs to."   
  
Huh. Well, so long as it did, that was what mattered, and Kentas headed for the cubicle.   
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next part is the one I was taking ages to finish, and I'm still poking at it, so hopefully it'll be ready for next week. 8')


	3. Part 3

  
  
  
Kentas narrowed his eyes, watching the man who had braced his hands on the bar. The man leaned in and showed far more teeth than before as he spoke. Whatever the man was saying, it couldn't be heard over the roar of everyone else. Min-gyu wasn't reacting or looking at the man, which seemed to anger the man more.   
  
Kentas made his way over but before he reached them, the man drew his arm back and Kentas hissed, seeing the pint glass he was holding. There were too many people in the way to stop him in time!   
  
The room silenced when the glass shattered against the wall. Only the wall. Min-gyu had dodged.   
  
And had lunged forward, grabbing the man by the hair and slammed his head against the counter.   
  
"You _fuck_!" the man roared, arms flailing, but there was nothing else nearby he could reach. "You think you can steal my girl, _huh_?"  
  
That was what this was about? Kentas took a quick glance around to check if anyone was joining the fray but there was a neat bubble around the man. Kentas grabbed the man by the nape and collected his wrists.   
  
Min-gyu hadn't let go of the man yet and when Kentas looked at him, Min-gyu's eyes glowed a soft silver, his pupils narrowed to slits. His lip was curled and Kentas' skin prickled, feeling someone weighing down their aura. It wasn't the man's - he barely had any presence, his aura flaring up for a second before flickering and dying like a matchstick flame under the force of the other aura.   
  
There was only one person the aura could be from.   
  
"Min-gyu?"   
  
Min-gyu's attention snapped to him and all at once Min-gyu stepped back, his eyes back to normal. The pressure of the aura disappeared as well. Hn. Interesting.  
  
Kentas hauled the man up so the man could only kick out as his feet dangled a foot off the ground.   
  
A path opened up for Kentas as he carried the still struggling man out. Someone followed Kentas and when he looked over his shoulder, it was a woman, her eyes darting towards the man and then giving quick apologetic bows to everyone watching. Must be the man's partner.   
  
Kentas threw the man out, crossing his arms as he stood at the doorway. The lady ducked past, going towards the man.   
  
The man scrambled to his feet, ignoring the woman as he glared at Kentas. "Lemme back in!" he demanded, but he stayed where he was, not taking a step closer. "I'll kick his ass!" Someone who had a lot of bark but not enough strength backing him to try to attack someone fairly. Not someone who would be interesting to fight.  
  
"If you're worried about him...stealing her," Kentas said, which he doubted Min-gyu would want to, from how he'd seen Min-gyu react, "then don't come back." Then they wouldn't have to deal with them again.   
  
"We won't!" The man straightened his jacket as he stomped away. "The drinks're shit anyway!"   
  
Which was why they'd come in the first place, of course. Kentas watched the pair leave (though it seemed more like the lady was trailing a bit behind the man than beside) and they didn't seem intent on returning.   
  
The bar was muted when he went back inside, people sharing nervous glances but as more people saw him, the volume picked up again.   
  
"You all right?" Kentas asked Min-gyu, who snorted as he moped up the remains of the man's drink.   
  
"I can handle myself." He didn't seem shaken and his breathing was normal.   
  
"Yeah, I saw," Kentas said, a small smile curling his lips. The hint of Min-gyu's strength had only increased Kentas' interest in him.   
  
Min-gyu glared at him, making him blink. What?   
  
"Uhm, I'll get back to keeping an eye on things if you don't need any help," Kentas said, straightening.   
  
"I'm _fine_." His glare didn't fade.   
  
All right... Kentas retreated, making sure he could see everyone as best as he could and the door in case the man tried to return.   
  
Min-gyu didn't like being told he could handle himself in a fight? It wasn't a compliment, just a fact.   
  
Kentas mulled over it as he watched over everyone.   


* * *

  
Kentas didn't know what Min-gyu was. He could normally identify a general idea of what a supernatural was, but he'd never gotten a hint of what Min-gyu was even after the weeks he'd known him.   
  
But Min-gyu was definitely supernatural. There were a few pure humans who entered the bar, but Kentas could pick them out with ease. Min-gyu wasn't human. He couldn't be, not when he'd been on the verge of transforming earlier.   
  
The only information Min-gyu's scent gave him was the faint hint of cigarette smoke. It was as if there was nothing there.   
  
...Was he a ghost? Kentas had never touched Min-gyu, but Min-gyu could make drinks, and he'd stopped the man so Min-gyu had some physical presence...  
  
Kentas shook his head. Did it matter? Knowing what someone was helped in a fight, to know how his opponent might move, but Min-gyu didn't seem interested in sparring with him. Which was a shame but... That was how it was. He couldn't force Min-gyu to spar. It was just a fight if the other person wasn't interested. Kentas sighed.   
  
His thoughts settled, Kentas continued his watch over the bar.   


* * *

  
There was a protein bar on the counter when Kentas reached it during cleaning. He furrowed his brow. He hadn't given Min-gyu anything today.   
  
"You said you preferred something more equal," Min-gyu said.   
  
Min-gyu remembered what he'd said last time? "But what did I do?" Something small, but still needed. Nothing came to mind.   
  
Min-gyu didn't say anything for a few seconds. "For stopping the fight."   
  
Kentas furrowed his brow more. That was it? "That's my job - it's what I'm here for."   
  
Min-gyu shrugged.  
  
Kentas glanced at the protein bar again before he pushed it towards Min-gyu. "I can't accept this. I'm already being paid to do that."  
  
Min-gyu stared at him. "Are you fucking serious?"   
  
"Yeah?" Was it that surprising? He hadn't earned it by doing more than he was supposed to.   
  
Min-gyu didn't say anything for a few seconds, frowning. "Fine." He took the protein bar and pocketed it.  
  
Huh. Had Min-gyu bought it specifically to give to him?   
  
No, he would probably have it later.   
  
Kentas turned back to continue cleaning.   


* * *

  
Tao's sneeze echoed throughout the entire bar.   
  
"You should go back home," Min-gyu said as he wiped down the bar.   
  
"But I jus' got 'ere! I haven't seen you all in days!" Tao protested, his ears flat. His voice was thick and croaky. "An' I'm not _that_ sick." He sniffed and then wrinkled his nose. "Okay, so I _might_ need a tissue. But I'm not sick."   
  
Takeo shared a look with Min-gyu, who nodded.   
  
"Oi oi oi, you two're _scheming_ ," Tao said, backing up a step. "Only _I'm_ allowed t'do that. Kentas, help me out here!" He turned pleading eyes towards Kentas. "I'm fine, really! It's just a sniffle, nothing big."   
  
Err. Kentas knew what to do in a fight - he had no idea what to do in this situation.   
  
"I'm just going to take Tao home," Takeo told him, sweeping Tao up into a bridal carry.   
  
"Nooo! I object t'this scheme!" Tao wriggled and flailed his arms but couldn't escape Takeo's grasp as Takeo walked over to the door.   
  
"Is...it always like that?" Kentas asked after the door closed behind the pair. Tao's protests could still be heard through the wall.   
  
"With Tao, yeah."   
  
Oh. "Will Takeo be gone for long?"   
  
"Tao's on the other side of the city so there's no point him coming back," Min-gyu said, starting to sweep again.   
  
Kentas nodded, getting back to cleaning. It would take a little longer since they'd lost Takeo and Tao, but that was all right. He wasn't doing it alone.   


* * *

  
There was a shot glass waiting for Kentas as he finished up.   
  
Min-gyu raised an eyebrow when Kentas glanced at him.   
  
"I didn't do anything," Kentas protested. He hadn't given Min-gyu any sweets or thrown anyone out that night, so what was this for?   
  
"You stayed behind and didn't complain," Min-gyu said.  
  
"Huh? Why would I complain?" Cleaning wasn't that much more work and he'd done that every time after the bar had closed already.   
  
Min-gyu didn't say anything for a few seconds before sighing. "That's exactly why you should accept the drink."   
  
Was there something he didn't know? A bar rule he hadn't heard of?   
  
"You're..." Min-gyu frowned. "You do things without thinking if someone could be taking advantage of you. You trust too easily. So...the drink is a thank you for helping more than you should have."   
  
Kentas studied Min-gyu, trying to understand what he was saying. "How could Takeo helping Tao be taking advantage of me?" He couldn't wrap his head around that way of thinking.   
  
"Because-" Min-gyu crossed his arms, sighing. "-Takeo could have done that and left us with twice the amount of work while he did none."   
  
"Hnn... If one of us is sick, then we cover for them, because we'll be sick one day and they'll cover for us." It would eventually come around. And he hadn't wanted Tao to try to get home alone while he was ill.   
  
Kentas mulled over his next thought. "You didn't complain either, so you trusted you weren't being taken advantage of as well."   
  
"But that's because-" Min-gyu pursed his lips, glaring.   
  
"You know them?" A small smile curled Kentas' lips. "I might not know them that well, but I know _you_ enough to trust your judgement, and you trust them to not take advantage of you." Min-gyu spoke his mind - he'd had lots of opportunities to speak out and he hadn't.   
  
"You trust my judgement, huh?" Min-gyu muttered.   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"So that means you trust me?" Min-gyu glowered at him with a challenging stare.   
  
Kentas blinked. "Well, yeah?" Min-gyu hadn't done anything that said he wasn't trustworthy.   
  
Min-gyu snorted and turned away.   
  
Kentas tried to puzzle out the meaning of Min-gyu's response as he drank, but couldn't come up with anything solid. Min-gyu thought he wasn't trustworthy?   


* * *

  
"Really?"   
  
Min-gyu was talking to someone on the bar phone as Kentas entered the bar.   
  
"Yeah, it can't be helped," Min-gyu said. He snorted. "I can survive one night alone." His gaze slid towards Kentas and Kentas paused. Did Min-gyu need something? "Kentas is here anyway, so nothing will happen. ...Yeah, stay in bed and don't catch anything else."   
  
"Takeo's ill?" Kentas said when Min-gyu hung up. That seemed to be the most likely person on the other side.   
  
"Yeah," Min-gyu said, sighing. "Probably caught it off Tao."   
  
Oh, damn. "It'll be easier since it's not the weekend." It would be less busy then.   
  
Min-gyu nodded.   


* * *

  
The dull roar inside the bar seemed louder than usual and Kentas could hear an angry undercurrent to it as people clustered around the bar. _Normally_ it would have been a quieter night, but it looked like someone was having a leaving party, taking up several tables.   
  
Kentas collected empty glasses from tables, scanning around for any more.   
  
"How long are you going to make us wait?"   
  
"Sang-mi's going to have started her new job by the time we get our drinks!'   
  
"Forget that - we'll be dead and have grandkids before we get our drinks!"   
  
Kentas frowned, shooting a glance at the bar. Min-gyu was working as fast as he could by himself. There was intense look on Min-gyu's face as he poured out the drinks, handing them out and collecting money. He didn't react to the muttered complaints, though Kentas didn't expect him to.   
  
Kentas brought over the glasses, Min-gyu nodding to him as he passed.   
  
"Sh-!"   
  
Kentas heard the squeak of something slipping along the floor. When Kentas turned, something glinted as it fell towards the floor but it shattered before he could see what it was.   
  
"You all right?" Kentas asked, seeing Min-gyu's pale face, grabbing a dish towel and throwing it over the shards. He couldn't smell blood, but Min-gyu was frozen, his eyes wide.   
  
"Fine," Min-gyu said, staring at the spill, his breathing quick and shallow. "I'm fine."   
  
Kentas couldn't smell alcohol and he spotted a metal cap still attached to a smashed bottleneck. Min-gyu's cologne bottle?   
  
"It's. _Fine_ ," Min-gyu said through gritted teeth, his entire body stiff like he was bracing himself for a blow. "Go collect more glasses and ff-" He cut himself off with a click of teeth. With squared shoulders, Min-gyu threw down a dish towel on the spill that escaped the first one and went to where the dustpan was kept.   
  
"...All right." Min-gyu hadn't been hurt but his reaction seemed off for what happened.   
  
Kentas backed off to not get underfoot when Min-gyu returned, a barely concealed scowl on his face.  
  
Had the bottle meant something important to him...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason why this part was giving me problems was because of the fight scenes. 8l The last part was originally planned to have a fight scene, and then after not being able to get it out and putting it off until the last minute... I realised it didn't have to be a fight.
> 
> Good times. 8')


	4. Part 4

Min-gyu was tense. Kentas could see it in the way he moved, his movements stiff instead of how they normally flowed. The more time passed, the tenser Min-gyu became. It couldn't be because of the patrons - the crowd was thinning so Min-gyu didn't have to rush like he had before.  
  
Min-gyu didn't snap at anyone but his usual bored expression was becoming scored with a furrowed brow and a flash of teeth whenever someone talked to him.   
  
Was this because of the cologne bottle? But Min-gyu hadn't been hurt.   
  
Had he...?   
  
Kentas couldn't smell Min-gyu's scent - maybe Min-gyu _had_ been bleeding and he'd missed it since he'd covered the spill so fast.   
  
Min-gyu didn't hold himself like he was injured though. He was stiff, but he wasn't favouring anything, his stride looking normal.   
  
He could be good at hiding it.   
  
There was a lull in orders and Kentas saw Min-gyu duck into the back for a minute before coming out again, striding for the door.   
  
Kentas hesitated for a second. He couldn't leave the bar completely unatt - Kentas breathed a sigh of relief, seeing someone leave the kitchen to stand at the bar. Good.   
  
He followed Min-gyu outside. When he opened the door, he wrinkled his nose. Smoke and burning. Damn.   
  
Min-gyu breathed out a big cloud of smoke and Kentas could smell it wasn't from the cold. The tip of the cigarette glowed in his hand.   
  
Min-gyu glowered at him. "What? I needed it." He took another deep drag of the cigarette.   
  
"What's wrong?" Kentas said, keeping the door ajar. The patrons had settled down but a fight could start with a few words; they might appreciate some fresh air as well.   
  
Min-gyu had seemed fine about his cravings before - had the stress of working the bar alone made it worse?   
  
"Nothing," Min-gyu snapped, curling his lip. "Go back inside and keep an eye on everyone."   
  
"They're fine," Kentas said, watching him. "You're not. Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
Min-gyu let out a short laugh, flicking ash away from him as he paced away from Kentas. "Not fight it out?"  
  
What? Kentas furrowed his brow, trying to figure out what Min-gyu meant. Werewolves did tend towards using their fists first for solving problems, but that was to release emotions and energy before dealing with it.   
  
Kentas eyed Min-gyu: his gestures were jerky, and not just from the cold. It looked like Min-gyu could do with getting rid of his pent up energy rather than holding it in.   
  
The wind picked up, making the smoke swirl even more in Kentas' direction.   
  
"Why would..." Kentas trailed off, catching a whiff of the smoke. There was another scent tied to it, one Kentas hadn't smelled before.   
  
No. That wasn't true.   
  
He'd smelled it once before, in the bar. That werewolf scent.   
  
But it wasn't just a werewolf. There was human as well.   
  
Kentas stared at Min-gyu. There was no-one else there - the scent couldn't come from anyone else.   
  
"Hah..." Min-gyu glowered and threw down the cigarette butt, crushing it under his shoe. "Knew I'd waited too fucking long. So?" Min-gyu balled his hands into fists, raising them as he gritted his teeth. "Let's get it over with."   
  
What...? "Get what over with...?" It seemed obvious what Min-gyu meant, but that didn't make sense. Why would Min-gyu want to fight? He'd never been interested before, and it was clear he didn't want to do it now either.   
  
Min-gyu rolled his eyes. "The fight. You know what I am, so let's fucking start already."  
  
"No," Kentas said, making sure his hands stayed loose and lowered, trying to look as non-aggressive as possible.   
  
Min-gyu jerked back, like Kentas had swung at him anyway. "What, am I too _human_ for you?" he spat, his lips twisting to reveal his fangs.   
  
"No," Kentas said again, his insides churning at seeing Min-gyu like this. What had happened to him in the past? "You don't want to fight." It was that simple. There was no point in a spar if the opponent didn't also enjoy it.   
  
Min-gyu didn't say anything for a few seconds, studying him.   
  
"I like fighting," Kentas said, "but as a test of my skills and my opponent's. I don't want to fight just to fight - if I did, I wouldn't be here." He'd stepped in to stop a few fights at the bar, but they weren't guaranteed to happen every night. "And I want my opponent to be having as much fun as I am pushing them to their limit."   
  
Kentas could see Min-gyu relaxing the more he talked. "You...don't want to fight me."   
  
Well. It would have been nice to see how Min-gyu moved and how they moved together, but Min-gyu wasn't interested, so it made the answer obvious. Kentas shook his head.   
  
"Oh."  
  
That seemed to have settled Min-gyu, lowering his fists.  
  
Kentas smiled, glad Min-gyu wasn't as defensive now. "Do you want to talk about what was bothering you earlier?"  
  
Min-gyu stared at him.   
  
"Hn?" Had he said something strange again? "I don't want to fight just because you're part werewolf, and I'm more concerned how you're doing now." That made sense, didn't it?  
  
Min-gyu kept staring at him like he'd transformed with wings. "Everyone else wanted to know which one of my parents was the werewolf and if I'd been brought up as one."   
  
Oh. "I can see why they asked," Kentas mused, "if you didn't react like a werewolf would." He shrugged. "That isn't as important to me."  
  
Min-gyu shook his head, relaxing completely. "You really _are_ fucking weird."   
  
It wasn't weird to be concerned about a coworker... What had Min-gyu's life been like before he started working at the bar?   
  
Min-gyu sighed, a big cloud escaping from his mouth. " _This_ was what was bothering me." He'd gestured between them. "That you'd sniff me out and start a fight like every other werewolf that had. I wanted it over and done with rather than waiting for you to find out and fight inside the bar."   
  
Oh. If Min-gyu had been brought up by humans, it _would_ seem like all werewolves fought when they first met, not knowing that was a greeting.   
  
"I won't. But..." Kentas exhaled, Min-gyu's scent getting stronger with each passing minute. "How did you know I would notice?" Min-gyu had never acted like this before. His scent had never been as obvious.   
  
Min-gyu shoved his hands in his pockets. "My cologne bottle broke."   
  
That was it? Was it a superstition? A bad omen? "And that's..." Kentas trailed off, furrowing his brow. Min-gyu's cologne didn't smell of anything. But once Min-gyu stopped being able to put it on, Kentas could smell what he was. "It masked your scent." That was how he'd only caught a brief scent in the bar and nothing more.   
  
"Yeah."  
  
Kentas huffed, smelling the lingering cigarette smoke. "And...you smoked for the same reason?" To hide what he was underneath it.   
  
Min-gyu nodded, grimacing. "I couldn't fucking taste or smell anything. At least the cologne was scentless."   
  
Where had he gotten it? Kentas had never heard of a cologne that could mask a scent from a werewolf. But then, he'd never paid attention to those things: he'd never needed to track anyone so he hadn't been interested in how people could hide from him.  
  
...Did it matter? Min-gyu didn't want to be recognised by werewolves and that was that.  
  
"Do you feel better now?" Min-gyu seemed more relaxed, less tense than he had been inside the bar. Min-gyu was still watching him from the corner of his eyes, but it looked like he believed Kentas wouldn't start a fight.  
  
"Yeah."   
  
Kentas smiled. "Good."   
  
Min-gyu glanced at where he'd dropped the cigarette butt, frowning.   
  
Hm. "Here." Min-gyu looked up in time to catch the lollipop Kentas lobbed at him. "If you need it."   
  
Min-gyu twirled it between his fingers for a second before unwrapping it. "Thanks."   
  
Kentas huffed, a puff of smoke escaping his mouth. "I should get back inside." He'd been out long enough.  
  
He left, giving Min-gyu more space.   


* * *

  
The air felt different as Kentas and Min-gyu cleaned up after the bar closed. He could feel Min-gyu's gaze on him, prickling the hair at the back of his neck as he wiped the tables down. It was like the assessing gaze before a fight, trying to gauge how strong the opponent was, what they would do.   
  
But Min-gyu didn't want to fight.   
  
Kentas cleaned slower than usual, too aware of Min-gyu's attention. It couldn't be that Min-gyu wanted a fight - Min-gyu had made _that_ clear, so... Was Min-gyu expecting one from him?   
  
Did Min-gyu not trust his word...?   
  
The front door swung open. "Gooood evening, everyone!" Tao called out, making a victory pose.   
  
"I thought you were ill," Min-gyu said while Tao closed the door behind him.   
  
Kentas breathed out a small sigh, the tension and Min-gyu's attention away pulled away from. He'd wanted Min-gyu's attention before, but not like that. Not filled with distrust or wariness.   
  
"Nah," Tao said, picking up the broom Kentas had set aside and twirling it. "It was just a twenty-four hour bug. Less than that. Told ya I'd be fine," he said, giving them a quick wink and a grin. Tao looked around. "Where's Takeo?"   
  
"Sick with the bug you shared with him," Min-gyu said.   
  
"...Eheheh, whoops." Tao laughed weakly as he rubbed the back of his head. "I'll bring him something when we're done."   
  
"So he can pass it back to you?" Min-gyu snorted.   
  
"Nooo," Tao said, sweeping the floor. "It wouldn't be the same virus!"   
  
"Yeah, it'd be a stronger one after going through both of you."   
  
"Uuurgh." Tao waved the broom at him. "Then _you_ can give him the get well present if ya want."   
  
"So it can spread even further and leave no-one to look after the bar? No."  
  
"What do ya mean-" Tao hunched his shoulders and scowled. "-'no-one to look after the bar'?" Tao lowered his voice to sound like Min-gyu as well. "Kentas is here! And I'm here, don't you forget," Tao said, patting himself on the chest. "We'd get it done."   
  
Min-gyu rolled his eyes. "Kentas is the bouncer and needs to keep an eye on everyone, not being distracted serving customers - _you_ aren't allowed behind the bar anymore."   
  
"It'd only be for one night! And-" Tao wrinkled his nose. "Did you start smoking again?   
  
Min-gyu sighed. "I dropped my cologne bottle and it shattered."   
  
"Aaaah." Tao's sweeping slowed and he peeked at Kentas.   
  
Why would Tao-?   
  
"He knows," Min-gyu said.   
  
"Okay!" Tao said, perking up again. "Boss couldn't drop off another one?"  
  
Boss...? Frankenstein? Had Frankenstein made Min-gyu's cologne? And Tao had known Min-gyu was hiding what he was.  
  
"He's on a business trip right now," Min-gyu said. "He said he'll make me a spare one when he gets back."   
  
"Heh, I'm surprised he hadn't given you spares before now."   
  
Min-gyu shrugged. "I hadn't needed it before."   
  
"True true," Tao said, humming. "But-" He waved the broom. "-this place ain't gonna clean itself."  
  
There was a few minutes of silence as they cleaned. It went faster, both with Tao's help and because Kentas couldn't feel Min-gyu's gaze on him.   
  
"Ooooh, what's that?" Tao said.   
  
Kentas was lifting his head to look at what had caught Tao's attention when he heard the smack of cloth hitting something and Tao's startled yelp.   
  
Min-gyu had thrown a drying cloth at Tao, whose ears were flat as he held it. There were two protein bars and a clouded plastic bottle in front of Tao.   
  
"Those are Kentas'," Min-gyu said, collecting his drying cloth again.   
  
Tao looked over at Kentas, his eyes wide. "Really? You've never left _me_ anything before."   
  
Min-gyu snorted. "That's because you've never done anything that deserved it."   
  
"I totally did!" Tao said, his tail flicking side to side. "I covered for you all and all sorts of things!"   
  
Kentas watched them, confused. Min-gyu had known Tao for longer, but Min-gyu had been leaving...gifts? for him almost as soon as he started working at the bar. For doing less than what Tao had done. Why?   
  
"What are these for?" Kentas said, walking over. He'd given Min-gyu a lollipop earlier, but that wasn't worth two protein bars, let alone a protein shake as well. They'd talked outside, but it had been so busy they hadn't been able to talk much after that. He hadn't needed to throw anyone out either.   
  
"For not starting a fight."  
  
Ah... Was that something that deserved to be repaid? Min-gyu hadn't wanted to fight; even if Kentas was curious, Min-gyu wasn't.  
  
But...Min-gyu wasn't completely a werewolf. How did humans show interest with someone else...?  
  
"Hey!" Tao said, perking up to gape at Min-gyu. "I shoulda had multiple sweets a night then!"   
  
Min-gyu gave him a withering glare, which didn't put Tao off at all.   
  
"Min-gyuuu," Tao whined, leaning bodily on the table and patting close the gifts, "give me something too pleeease. I helped with the cleaning, when I'm still recovering from the cold. That's gotta mean something, right?"  
  
"No."   
  
"S-so mean," Tao said, with an exaggerated tearful sniff.   
  
Kentas took one of the protein bars, but didn't open it. It took him a few seconds to collect his thoughts, trying to figure out how best to put it into words. Was he reading this wrong? Maybe he was.   
  
But Min-gyu had been giving him gifts for little things when he hadn't done the same for Tao.   
  
"When werewolves first meet, they usually fight to gauge each other's strengths," he said, watching M-21's expression. He knew Min-gyu didn't want to fight, but Min-gyu had given him gifts. "It's a way to greet each other and to know if they're equal in strength, but...would you rather grab something to eat instead?" Humans went out for dinner together, didn't they? It was too late to be called dinner, but it would still be a late night meal.   
  
Min-gyu stared at him and Kentas heard Tao's deep intake of breath.   
  
"Like in a _date_ sense or-" Min-gyu nailed Tao in the face again with the drying cloth without looking. "I'm just makin' sure _everyone's_ on the same page here!"   
  
It was needed, since it seemed like Min-gyu had been telling him something and he hadn't realised.   
  
"Like a date," Kentas said, nodding as he continued to watch Min-gyu. "I appreciate the gifts, but I would prefer to share a meal if we're going to keep giving each other something to eat." There was more to eat than candy and they could spend the time together.   
  
Min-gyu still hadn't looked away, still studying Kentas.   
  
Kentas could see Tao's ears twitching but he kept watching Min-gyu for a change in expression.   
  
Min-gyu huffed, the corner of his mouth curling up into a smirk. "So you're wanting more than what I'm offering."  
  
Kentas grinned back. Min-gyu didn't sound offended. "Well, I haven't accepted what you've been offering." Not what Min-gyu had _really_ been offering.  
  
"All right," Min-gyu said, exhaling. "So long as it's somewhere inside; I can't stay outside for long like you," he added, his smirk widening.   
  
Kentas laughed. "We'll find somewhere." There were lots of places they could go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this fic started with the idea of Kentas realising M-21 likes him without Tao having to explain, but then the secondary idea of Kentas finding out about M-21's ended up being just as important, aha.

**Author's Note:**

> This is mostly finished with four parts, but I've only been poking at it while editing. So I'm hoping that posting the first part will force me to kick my butt into editing properly rather than...not...doing that and then not posting the rest. 8')


End file.
